Australian Open: Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashes out in straight sets

Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open 2023 on Wednesday, suffering a 4-6, 4-6, 5-7 straight sets defeat at a deathly silent Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park.

Nadal was far from his best as he suffered what seemed like a possible hip injury, forcing him to take a conservative approach throughout the match. The Spaniard's body language was a dead giveaway that he was not feeling up to the task.

This was the worst result for Nadal at the majors in the last seven years. He had been knocked out of the first round of the Australian Open in 2016 as well.

Though Nadal was not at his pristine best, McDonald did his homework and came off the blocks in a quick manner. He kept Nadal on the backfoot and never allowed the 22-time Grand Slam winner to ease into the match.

"He's an incredible champion, he's never going to give up regardless of the situation. I was trying to stay focused on what I was trying to do and he kind of got me out of my rhythm, and I just got through it," saidMcDonald in the post-match interview.

In the first set, Nadal was way off his pace as he only made 65 per cent of his first serves. The American cleverly navigated around Nadal's heavy forehand shots and kept his nose ahead in the opening exchanges.

Behind the eight-ball curve,Nadal took a medical time-out when trailing 6-4, 5-3 to patch himself up and give one final push. The physios tried their best but thebody language of the 36-year-oldgave it away that he wasn't going to be able to conjure another one of his famed comebacks.

The usual fistbumps and the elaborate pre-serve routine were missing as Nadal looked a pale shadow of his imperious best.

Braving the pain, a stone-faced Nadal managed to give something to the desperate crowd in the third set. He pushed and held his serve till 5-4. However, the errors crept in again and McDonald seized on the opportunity and made the two-time Australian Open champion pay.

Nadal's defeat allows his compatriot Novak Djokovic a chance to get level on the number of Grand Slams won. The Serbian currently has 21 majors under his belt and will be attempting to go the distance after his most fierce rival over the years has bowed out.

The defeat also means that Nadal will tumble in the world rankings to no. 6. If this was his last hurrah at the opening Grand Slam of the year, it was rather anti-climactic, to say the least.

As for MacDonald, he will be a relieved man after securing the biggest win of his career so far. He will take on the winner of Dalibor Svrcina vs Yoshito Nishioka in the third round.

(With inputs from agencies)

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